Ulstein: SunStone Orders Third Expedition Cruise Vessel

SunStone Infinity class. Image Courtesy: SunStone

Miami-based SunStone Ships has declared option number two for an X-BOW expedition cruise vessel, according to data provided by ship designer Ulstein.

The new vessel, which will carry the name Ocean Victory, is scheduled for delivery from China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) yard in March 2021. Following delivery, the unit would start sailing under a long term charter deal with Victory Cruise Lines.

SunStone Ships originally placed one firm contract and nine options on Ulstein deliveries of expedition cruise vessel designs and equipment packages back in 2017. In early October 2018, SunStone Ships declared the first option at the CMHI yard in the INFINITY-class series of expedition cruise vessel designs.

“We are pleased with the rapid adoption of the INFINITY-class vessels. It seems our European design & technology, combined with lower overall operating costs ticks all the boxes for the small and expedition-ship market,” Niels-Erik Lund, SunStone’s President & CEO, said.

These ships feature a length of 104.3 metres and a beam of 18.4 metres. The Ocean Victory will have accommodation for 100 crew members and 200 passengers. The hull will be built according to Polar class 6, Polar code Cat B, with dynamic positioning system and zero-speed stabilizers.